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Abstract

The time course of perceptual choice is discussed in a model based on gradual and stochastic accumulation of information in non-linear decision units with leakage (or decay of activation) and competition through lateral inhibition. In special cases, the model becomes equivalent to a classical diffusion process, but leakage and mutual inhibition work together to address several challenges to existing diffusion, random-walk, and accumulator models. The model provides a good account of data from choice tasks using both time-controlled (e.g., deadline or response signal) and standard reaction time paradigms and its overall adequacy compares favorably with that of other approaches. An experimental paradigm that explicitly controls the timing of information supporting different choice alternatives provides further support. The model captures flexible choice behavior regardless of the number of alternatives, accounting for the linear slowing of reaction time as a function of the log of the number of alternatives (Hick’s law) and explains a complex pattern of visual and contextual priming effects in visual word identification. Perceptual Choice 2 When an experience presents itself to the senses, the need often arises to determine its identity or to make some other judgment about it. In experimental paradigms, the time course of this judgment process is